White Heather (Volume III of 3)

h but five minutes together, as he was on his way over to the south, well, that was something; and not unfrequently the lingering good-bye was lengthened

here was yet some crisp and yellow foliage on the trees; and the little patches of green within the railings lay warm in the light; and on the northern side of the street the house-fronts were of a comfortable sunny gray. Ordinarily there were so few people about that these two could wal

ing to the Gemmills was this: the young man who had been stricken by these unintentional darts was no other than the only son of the founder of the firm in which Mr. Gemmill was a junior partner-the old gentleman having retired from the business some dozen years before, carrying with him a very substantial fortune indeed, to which this son was sole heir. In more ways than one this match, if it were to be a match, would be highly advantageous; and Mrs. Gemmill, while saying little, was secretly rejoiced to see everything going on so well. If Meenie chanced to ask what such and such a piece was (Mr. Frank Lauder played a little), even that slight expression of interest was inevitably followed by her receiving the sheet of music by

a London music hall during a fortnight's visit to town. But their most odd characteristic is an affectation of knowingness-as if they had read the book of nature and human nature through to the last chapter; whereas these well-dressed, good-natured, but rather brainless young men are as innocently ignorant of that book as of most other books. Knowing but one language-and that imperfectly-is no doubt a bar to travel; but surely nowhere else on the face of the globe could one find a set of young fellows-with similar opportunities set before them-conten

eneath this mask of meekness; and Meenie's shrewd eyes had discerned clearly of what kind he was at a very early period of their acquaintance. For one thing, her solitary life in the Highlands had made of her a diligent and extensive reader; while her association with Ronald had taught her keen independence of judgment; and she was almost ashamed to find how absolutely unletter

hen Mr. Lauder sits down to the piano?' her

aucily, 'when I'm strong and in good health. But

hese visits and of their obvious aim; b

say that a girl can always show by her manner when any attention is displeasing to her. Well, that depends. I can't be downright rude-I am staying in my sister's house. And then, I wouldn't say he was conceited-I wouldn't say that, Ronald-b

bt it. Perhaps I would refuse to b

Gemmill's name should be mentioned in the firm-not mere "Co." And that would please Agatha too; and so they're very polite to him; and they expect me to be very polite to him too. You see, Ronald, I can't tell him to go away until he says something-either to me or to Agat

the hand that lay on his arm: th

g: does his coming to the ho

er pleased when he comes to the house. When he is there of an evening, and

tement, and instantly she saw a

thout taking away her eyes from his. 'Every time I look at hi

r heart. He purchased for her little presents-such as he could afford-to show her that he was thinking of her on the days when they could not meet; and when she took these, and kissed them, it was not of their pecuniary value she was thinking. As for her, she had vast schemes as to what she was going to make for him when she got back to the Highlands. Here, in Glasgow, nothing of the kind was possible. Her si

n this; she leapt to the conclusion that a woman had something to do with it; and in her jealous anger and mortification she determined on leaving no stone unturned to discover his whereabouts. But her two cronies, Laidlaw and old Jaap (the skipper was away at sea again), seemed quite powerless to aid her. They knew that Ronald occasionally used to go over to Polloksh

d they were returning by the Great Western Road, one evening towards dusk, when all at once the widow caught sight of Ronald, at some distance off, and just as he was

it, Kat

n eager scrutiny this figure that was now coming along. Meenie did not notice her; probably the girl was too busy with her own thoughts; but these coul

comment as she marked the smart costume and th

nt she had passed,

. Never mind how long. He'll no stir; if you

is't, Ka

the main thoroughfare at Melrose Street-Kate Menzies keeping fairly close up to her now; and almost directly after was standing at the door of her sister's house in Queen's Crescent, waiting for the ringing of the bell to be answer

ob with the whip. 'The Great Western Road, of a' places in the world! The Great Wester

e the dusky glen,

form a cosie den,

d-bless us a', and the la

t is it,

ood looks to a braw market-set her up wi' her velvet hat and her sealskin coat, and

n, who affected to be very much shocked. 'Your cousin Ro

, wi' a' they folk about. And that's why ye've been hiding yourself away, my lad? But I jalouse that that b

that the name of the people living in that house in Queen's Crescent was Gemmill. She asked her cronies, when they turned up in the evening, who this Gemmill was;

appointments with Ronald Strang, formerly of Inve

cent, and herself took it to the post. It was a mere random shot, for she had nothing to go upon but her own

ut Agatha (who knew more about Ronald Strang than he) looked startled. She would not say anything. She would not admit to her husband that

d that morning, Meenie just

iehall Street for some more of that cr

her sister, just to see whether there might be any ground for this anonymous warning. It certain

to the left as she walked, with some quickness, along St. George's Road towards Sauchiehall Street. When she reached the wool shop and entered, Mrs. Gemmill's c

ner of Hill Street; gave one quick glance up the quiet little thoroughfare; the next moment Mrs. Gemmill recognised well enough-for she had seen him once or twice in the Highlands-who this well-built, straight-limbed young fellow was who was now coming down the steep little street at such a

proper young persons, Agatha Gemmill knew that she had not been in the category herself. But she was resolved upon being both indignant and angry. It was her duty. There was this girl wilfully throwing away all the chances of her life. A gamekeeper!-that her sister should be for marrying a gamekeeper just at the time that Mr. Gemmill expected to have

eir circumstances should be so favourable. She even confessed that she had come to Glasgow in the hope of seeing him. Had she no shame in making such an avowal?-no, she said, s

grily and contemptuously of Ronald that the younge

u there is no such gentleman-in manner, in disposition, in educati

she was rather frightened by this unwonte

care? It was as a gamekeeper that I learnt to know him. It was as a gamekeeper that I gave

, that were always such a sensible girl! But I'll have nothing to do with it

g to go back,' the

ney in Glasgow-for a girl as mad as you seem to be will believe anything. Well, don't believe that. Don't believe you will have any fine love-making in absence, and al

he wil

, th

I will

find a difference after you have been two or three months at Inver-Mudal. Perhaps you will have come to your senses then. Perhaps you will have learnt what it was to have had a good prospect of settling yourself in life-with a respectable well-conducted

s were white; but there was something grasping her heart, a

ntinued; 'and if you should see him again before you go, I would advise you to bid him

ight say it was for her welfare-they might appeal to his honour-they might win some pledge from him-and she knowing nothing of it all! If only she could see him for one moment! The very pulses of her blood seemed to keep repeating his name at every throb-yearning towards him, as it were; and at last she threw herself down on the sofa and buried her head in the cushion, and burst into a wild and long-continued fit of weeping and sobbing. But this in time lightened the weight at her h